Method for the enzymatic production of hydrogen

Patent · Tue Aug 24 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:678553

Woodward, J; Mattingly, S M

The present invention is an enzymatic method for producing hydrogen comprising the steps of: (a) forming a reaction mixture within a reaction vessel comprising a substrate capable of undergoing oxidation within a catabolic reaction, such as glucose, galactose, xylose, mannose, sucrose, lactose, cellulose, xylan and starch; the reaction mixture also comprising an amount of glucose dehydrogenase in an amount sufficient to catalyze the oxidation of the substrate, an amount of hydrogenase sufficient to catalyze an electron-requiring reaction wherein a stoichiometric yield of hydrogen is produced, an amount of pH buffer in an amount sufficient to provide an environment that allows the hydrogenase and the glucose dehydrogenase to retain sufficient activity for the production of hydrogen to occur and also comprising an amount of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate sufficient to transfer electrons from the catabolic reaction to the electron-requiring reaction; (b) heating the reaction mixture at a temperature sufficient for glucose dehydrogenase and the hydrogenase to retain sufficient activity and sufficient for the production of hydrogen to occur, and heating for a period of time that continues until the hydrogen is no longer produced by the reaction mixture, wherein the catabolic reaction and the electron-requiring reactions have rates of reaction dependent upon the temperature; and (c) detecting the hydrogen produced from the reaction mixture. 8 figs.

• Research Organization: Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• Assignee: Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,942,424/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-879,243
• OSTI ID: 678553
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
HEXOSES
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
HYDROGENASES
OXIDOREDUCTASES
POLYSACCHARIDES